


Things We Left Behind

by Nopride4531



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Abduction, Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Case Fic, Connor (Detroit: Become Human) Whump, Gavin Reed Being an Asshole, Gen, Good Parent Hank Anderson, Hank Anderson Swears, Hurt Connor (Detroit: Become Human), Hurt/Comfort, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Protective Hank Anderson, Serial Killers, Torture, Whoo boy this is gonna be a wild ride
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-13
Updated: 2018-09-13
Packaged: 2019-07-11 17:37:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15977180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nopride4531/pseuds/Nopride4531
Summary: In the aftermath of the Revolution, a serial killer strikes in Detroit. His victims? Deviant androids--and a lot of them.Hank is anything but happy when he and Connor are assigned the case. Still, they pursue it, getting closer and closer to an answer, along with an unlikely arrest. But all hell breaks loose when Connor is abducted--and not by their current (and only) suspect. Now, Hank must race against time if he wants to save his partner from suffering a fate worse than death. But in a situation where allies can turn to enemies as quickly as the other way around, Hank can't help but wonder if he'll be too late.





	Things We Left Behind

On any other day at the precinct, Hank would've been in a relatively good mood. Things were finally calming down in lieu of the Revolution, androids had been granted official rights, and Connor was slowly but surely embracing his deviancy. Better still, Hank hadn't had a (major) depressive episode in a while. Not that he knew the difference between minor and major, but he couldn't deny that he felt... better. He would never admit it, though (but he was certain everyone in the DPD could figure it out for themselves). And, as unlikely as it sounded, he owed most of it to Connor. 

But today, when Captain Fowler called both Hank and the android into his office, Hank knew it wasn't because of anything good. As he and Connor stood there, the latter at attention, the former, well, about as attentive as he could be at nine in the morning, Captain Fowler sat at his desk. His expression, though never exactly pleasant, was troubled. Hank felt a pit of ice forming in his stomach. Whatever this whole meeting was about, whatever he was about to hear, would probably be the worst thing he'd heard in a while. 

He risked a glance over at Connor. The android stood still, waiting to hear new orders, and damn, if that didn't make him seem like a machine, Hank didn't know what would. He rarely found himself believing Connor to be anything less than human these days. Connor showed more humanity than most people on a daily basis. Certainly more than that asshole Reed, or sometimes even Hank himself. Whenever they apprehended a suspect, Connor was the first to suggest a more gentle route, rather than brute force. Usually, Hank agreed... save for when, say, a pissed off anti-android perp managed to nab Connor with a punch or two. Hank didn't see anything wrong with himself being a little rougher than usual, especially while hauling said perp off to the station when Connor wasn't there.   

The sound of Captain Fowler clearing his throat snapped Hank out of his thoughts. He shrugged a halfhearted apology. Captain Fowler, used to his attitude, apparently didn't care. 

"I take it you weren't listening to a word I said," he snapped, "so I'll repeat myself. We've gotten report after report of murdered androids--six in the past three months... And we have reason to believe there's only one suspect." 

Hank briefly looked over at Connor, trying to gauge his reaction. The kid didn't show any signs of distress, other than his LED flashing yellow for a split second. Hank turned his attention back to Fowler, who was obviously waiting for some kind of answer.

"So, what, you're sayin' we've got a serial killer on our hands?" Hank shook his head, admittedly unnerved by the whole situation. 

Fowler nodded and folded his hands on top of his desk. "Yes... specifically one that targets  _androids._ " His eyes briefly flicked to Connor. Hank didn't miss it. "We're stretched thin as it is trying to keep order. If there was anyone else I could assign this case to, I would, but..." 

He trailed off as Hank narrowed his eyes. Connor, apparently sensing that the situation was about to escalate, quickly stepped in. "We'll take it."

Hank felt his shoulders tense, as well as a migraine coming on. But, seeing as though it was either take the case or hand in his badge, he reluctantly nodded in agreement. Fowler looked relieved, though Hank could all-too-easily see the guilt in his eyes. The lieutenant wanted a word with him--alone. Turning to Connor, he motioned for him to leave. The android looked slightly confused, but exited the office nonetheless. 

"Why're you doing this, Jeffrey?" Hank demanded the second Connor was out of earshot. "If the perp's targeting androids, then why--"

"Why send an android after him," Fowler finished with a sigh. He drummed his fingers against his desk and looked away from Hank's furious gaze. "I know how it sounds, Hank, but what I said before's true. We're stretched thin. You and Connor are the only ones who--"

"Bullshit!" It took all Hank had not to shout. He leaned forward until he was in the Captain's face. "You just want Connor on the case because you think it'll lure some crazy asshole out of hiding." 

A vein in Fowler's forehead pulsed, and he ground his teeth together. "Watch it, Lieutenant. I would  _never_  risk one of my own if there was any other way." His next words came out in a low growl. "You and Connor can either catch the bastard and bring him in, or I can assign this to Reed. What would you rather have?"

For a moment, all Hank could do was glower at him. But after a few seconds of tense silence, he sighed and turned away, heading for the door. "Fine."

Connor was waiting by his desk when Hank left the office. The lieutenant, still fuming, hardly said anything as he sat down, save for mumbling a few choice words under his breath. Connor frowned as he went to his own desk, opening his mouth to say something, but then apparently deciding better of it. Hank was grateful. He didn't want to snap at the kid, which would be a likely scenario if Connor tried to talk to him about what happened. At the moment, all Hank wanted to do was finish up the remainder of his paperwork and go home. 

_Goddammit, Jeffrey,_  he thought as he furiously typed up reports.  _If this goes south, I know who I'm blaming._

* * *

An ungodly amount of hours saw Hank and Connor pouring over the details of the case. Despite the latter's impeccable analysis, they were no closer to solving the damn thing than when they started. Eventually, Hank decided to call it a night. Glancing at the clock in the precinct, he internally groaned. Eleven PM. Great. Not only had they been assigned a potential disaster, they'd stayed late. Sumo no doubt needed a walk. And food. And... whatever else his dog decided was important. 

Hank stood and placed a gentle hand on Connor's shoulder. The android barely reacted, still staring at his computer screen, as if he could crack the case through sheer will alone. 

"C'mon, son," Hank murmured, giving him a light shake. "Time to go home."

Connor shook his head, his LED flashing red for a second, likely from exhaustion. "I have to be missing something," he said, sounding strained. "Nothing about this makes sense and--"

"Connor." Hank rolled his eyes. "It's not like we're gonna solve this in one night. We'll look at it again in the morning."

The android took a breath that he didn't need and closed the files. "I know. It's just..." He looked up at Hank with a borderline lost expression. "I don't want any more androids getting hurt."

Hank's heart squeezed painfully, but he ignored it in favor of guiding Connor to his feet. "I know," he said as he began walking out of the precinct. "But we can't work ourselves to death over it. We'll catch the bastard, okay? We just need some more time."

The trip to the car was mostly silent. Judging by Connor's yellow LED, the kid was still disturbed over the case notes. Hank, in all honesty, couldn't blame him. Most of the details he'd seen regarding the killings were absolutely brutal. They always ended the same way: a dead android in some remote location, mutilated, and with their LED torn out. Hank barely suppressed a shudder. Serial killers were some of the worst people known to man. He'd encountered a few in his time, but most of the murders hadn't been so grisly. These androids... they were being tortured before they were killed. And whoever was doing it was clearly an expert at avoiding capture. 

Shaking his head, Hank got in the car and started driving, determined not to let this case get to him. Still, he couldn't help but glance in Connor's direction every few minutes. The android seemed deep in thought, resting his head against the cool glass of his window. Eventually, the Lieutenant couldn't stand the silence anymore, and decided to break it.

"Hey kid," he said, loud enough to snap Connor out of whatever trance he was in. The android looked at him with a small smile on his face, LED momentarily going blue. For a moment, Hank struggled with what to say. But then: "I don't think you should go anywhere alone for a while. Not until we crack this case, at least."

The LED went yellow as Connor mulled that over. "Why not?" He asked, sounding genuinely confused. He blinked at Hank, clearly trying to figure out where he was going with this.

Hank, as much as he wanted to back out of having this talk, stuck to it. "Because we've got an android killer on the loose, and the last thing we need is for you to go blundering into a trap."

There. He'd said it. Now hopefully, Connor would agree and they could pretend the whole conversation never happened. But of course, of fucking course, the kid simply frowned deeper and tilted his head to one side, watching Hank with eyes that reminded him of a puppy. 

"If you're worried about my... ability to handle the case," Connor said, completely missing the point, as usual, "I can assure you that I won't be a pro--"

"Never mind the case!" Hank interrupted, barely refraining from hitting the steering wheel. Jesus, he didn't want to talk about this. "Just... try to have someone with you whenever you go out, okay?" 

Connor, looking like he wanted to say more, apparently decided against it and nodded instead. "Got it."

Rolling his eyes, Hank turned on the radio and avoided eye-contact for the rest of the trip home. Somewhere in his mind, he knew it was going to be one helluva long week. 

**Author's Note:**

> Alrighty, so, this is basically my excuse to write more fic for Detroit: Become Human. AKA: the game that is ruining my life in all the best ways. 
> 
> I know that this chapter is a little short, but it's just the exposition. I promise that the next ones will be longer. Thanks for reading! If you like where this is going, please leave a review and let me know how I did. I always value feedback. 
> 
> -Nopride


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